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I would like to pose this question at both a general (see title) and specific level (see below).

I am soon to graduate university with a Computer Science degree. For the last four years I have been operating a sole proprietorship creating iOS Applications, both self-designed and contracted work. The result has been several Apps published on the App store and modest income from this work, generally.

Following the conclusion of my university degree, I would like to apply for jobs/graduate programs at some larger companies. However many job listings understandably call for "x years professional experience".

My question therefore is: does owning and operating a sole proprietorship in this fashion count as "professional experience"?

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Having your own proprietorship by itself does not count as professional experience. Having published several apps in the App store through your proprietorship does count as professional experience, if the kind of jobs you are after is software development jobs.

The fact that you published these apps through your proprietorship would be considered a plus if you are looking for a job as an IOS/SWIFT developer and in fact, I have seen a couple of ads requesting developers who have achieved your experience.

If you are looking for a job as sales support, the fact that you ran your own proprietorship to sell access to your apps shows that you have been exposed and understand many of the implications and issues involved with selling access to software.

Context is important. Running your proprietorship by itself - and that's the way you phrased your question in the title of your post, that's irrelevant. If, however, you are very careful to provide the context, then yes, your proprietorship is very relevant professional experience.

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  • Thank you very much, I shall elaborate slightly further in my resume in that case!
    – Ephemera
    Commented Mar 15, 2015 at 7:06
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Yes, I would say that counts as professional experience. You did the work and got paid for it.

Aside from the coding itself, dealing with clients and the Apple approval process is relevant experience.

See related question.

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